


no doubt in my mind where you belong

by aarobron



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Coda, Fluff, post reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 18:30:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13770012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aarobron/pseuds/aarobron
Summary: a coda to 22/02/18. what happens after robert goes home with his husband.or,And obviously, like fate, Adele filters through the speakers."Thought this wasn't our song," Aaron says accusingly, but his voice is light. He shifts so his legs are tucked under him, so he can watch every movement on Robert's face."It'sasong," Robert counters, dropping his hand down the length of Aaron's arm, to tangle their fingers together. And just like he can't quite help himself, he lifts their joint hands up and presses a kiss to Aaron's knuckles. "Didn't say it was ours."





	no doubt in my mind where you belong

**Author's Note:**

> oh my god!!! we survived!!!! 
> 
> i won't lie to you, that episode was everything i've ever wanted and more. it was overwhelmingly perfect, and way exceeded my expectations. i haven't stopped crying and it's been four hours, but i feel like it'll take me four days. 
> 
> this is a short coda to tonight's episode, a take on what happens when they go to the mill - nothing but disgustingly sweet fluff.
> 
> the title is glaringly obvious, too.
> 
> thank you so much for reading, and i hope you enjoy! xxx

Aaron's hands are shaking as he tries to unlock the front door. The key slides away from the lock, almost mocking him, but he blows out a deep breath and tries again. If he's honest, it'd probably be easier if he could untangle himself from Robert's grip, but that sounds too painful and Aaron's had enough hurt to last him a lifetime.

Speaking of, Aaron risks a glance over his shoulder as he steps into the house. Robert's just looking at him, highlighted by the moon, as if looking away means Aaron's going to disappear.

He pulls the older man closer.

"I love you," Aaron says, voice breaking somewhere in the middle. He finally gets to say it and he _means_ it, and Robert finally believes it. "I _love_ you."

Robert smiles, a little shaky around the edges, but real and overwhelmingly beautiful. "I love you too," He whispers. His hand comes up to curl around the back of Aaron's neck and he tips their foreheads together.

"Liv's upstairs," Aaron says, pausing to kiss Robert quickly and softly. It ends all too soon for his liking, but then again, they've got the rest of their lives. "We should probably keep it down."

"'Course," Robert says, thumb tracing the line of Aaron's jaw. He blinks and breathes out, eyelashes dipping against his skin, but then he smiles again, bright and brilliant and like he can't believe this is real.

Breaking apart from Robert feels like drowning; all the air is dragged out of Aaron's lungs, and he has to remember how to breathe again. He clears his throat and takes the few steps to the kitchen, to the fridge.

"Beer?" He asks, holding out the bottle to Robert. Robert, who's still stood in the same place, glancing up at Aaron under his lashes when he thinks he's not looking - who's playing with the sleeve of his jacket like he doesn't quite know what to do.

It hits Aaron then that he _doesn't_.

"Hey," Aaron says softly, gesturing for Robert to come closer. He reaches up on his tiptoes and smooths his hands over the balls of the older man's shoulders. "This- this is your home too, you know?"

"Yeah," Robert says. A laugh bubbles up his throat, some nervous little thing that Aaron can't help but grin at. His hands find the younger man's waist and hold tight, fingertips pressing hard enough to bruise. "Yeah, sorry."

"Don't apologise," Aaron whispers, but before Robert can reply he presses their lips together. It's a simple kiss, really: not as forceful as the last two, and a little deeper, but it's not enough for Aaron.

He slides his palms under the collar of Robert's jacket and pushes it off his shoulders, pulling away with a contented little hum.

One of the things Aaron's missed most about kissing Robert is when either of them chase the kiss after. This time, it's Robert, and Aaron's heart flips in a way he never thought it would again.

"Better," Aaron says, smirking a little at Robert neatly hanging his coat over the back of a dining chair. He notes the way the older man's shoulders have relaxed a bit, the openness of his face. "Although you're still wearing more than I'd like."

That draws a laugh from Robert - a real one this time. "Slow down, Romeo," He teases, but his eyes are sparkling with want and lust and something that must fall under disbelief. "We've got all night."

Aaron takes his own jacket off and throws it on top of Robert's, pausing for a minute to take in the sight. Their things... _theirs_ , again. He feels tears threaten at the corners of his eyes.

It's finally happening.

"Forever, if you want it," He says, aiming for casual. The words come out too thick, too emotional, to hit that, and he can't help but smile at Robert's earnest face. He grabs both beers from the counter and hands one to Robert, knocking their shoulders together. "Come on."

When he turns towards the sofa, he doesn't need to check if Robert's following. Somewhere, deep in his chest, he knows that Robert will always follow - especially now. 

He lets Robert settle first, in the corner that he made his own in the short few months that he lived here, then makes his own space in the crook of Robert's arm. 

It feels like home.

"I missed you so much," He admits quietly, breaths ghosting over the top of the bottle. Something about not facing Robert makes the words come easier, despite all the things he's said tonight. "I don't know how I survived."

"I do. You're strong. Stronger than me," Robert says, barely a whisper. His thumb and index finger catch on the collar of Aaron's jumper, rubbing soft circles into the skin of his shoulder. "I couldn't handle it."

"But you did," Aaron says, rolling his head against the line of Robert's bicep to look up at him. "You handled it, and then you came home to me."

Robert nods, swallowing once. His eyes are a little glazed with tears and his thumb presses harder into Aaron's skin, but the silence isn't awkward. It never has been, between them. It's comfortable, and Aaron doesn't understand how he can miss even something as simple as this.

It doesn't last long though, because Robert reaches over to the tv remote and flicks the telly on. He changes the channel to a radio station, a local one that Aaron only ever really listened to around his husband.

And obviously, like fate, Adele filters through the speakers.

"Thought this wasn't our song," Aaron says accusingly, but his voice is light. He shifts so his legs are tucked under him, so he can watch every movement on Robert's face.

"It's _a_ song," Robert counters, dropping his hand down the length of Aaron's arm, to tangle their fingers together. And just like he can't quite help himself, he lifts their joint hands up and presses a kiss to Aaron's knuckles. "Didn't say it was ours."

"Alright, Mr Know It All," Aaron says, pulling a face. He sets his beer on the coffee table and prises Robert's out of his hand, doing the same, before leaning into the older man's space. It's slow enough that he can move away if he wants to, but his eyelids flutter closed.

Aaron takes a second, just to take in the details of Robert's face. His eyelashes spread dark shadows over his cheekbones, freckles dotted over his skin. _I used to know all those_ , Aaron thinks, and then realises that he still does.

He doesn't take his time with closing the gap between them. He doesn't have to remember it - even though he will - because this isn't the last time. This isn't the _only_ time, not anymore.

Robert's mouth opens easily under his. He still tastes the same, once Aaron gets past the bitter tang of whiskey: coffee and peppermint, a little hint of something sweet, and then something that's entirely Robert.

Aaron kisses him until that's all he can taste on his own tongue.

"I love you," He says as he pulls back, their lips still grazing. His thumb traces the older man's bottom lip, fingers brushing the corner of his eye. "I don't want you to ever forget that."

"Don't let me forget it," Robert says, voice uncharacteristically small. Sometimes, sometimes it's easy for Aaron to forget that _he_ wasn't the only one hurting. Because sure, Robert broke his heart - but in the process, he broke his own, too.

"I promise you," Aaron whispers. He squeezes the back of Robert's neck for a second, trying to say all the things he can't with words, before standing up and offering his hand to Robert. "Come on, let's go bed."

It feels like they're teenagers, trying not to get caught doing something wrong, hustling up the stairs as quietly as they can be. Aaron's still holding Robert's hand and they're giggling like schoolkids, from the thrill of it all.

They stand shoulder to shoulder in front of the mirror in the en suite, brushing their teeth. It's so _domestic_ that it makes Aaron's heart squeeze painfully tight in his chest, and he sneaks his hand over to Robert's side of the sink to grip his fingers as tight as he can.

Robert doesn't ask - he doesn't need to. Their eyes meet in the mirror and he grins around the toothbrush, eyes sparkling.

But that's not when it hits Aaron. No, it hits Aaron when they're in bed, pressed up close enough to be sharing the same pillow, lips moving together in the laziest of kisses. 

Aaron's knee is tucked between Robert's, and Robert has his arm under Aaron's neck, curled around his back. Their fingers are tangled in the space between them. Aaron can feel the warmth of Robert's breath brushing against his cheek, and he can't help but catch the older man's lips in a kiss.

_I'm alive. He's alive._ We're _alive._

"I'm so fucking sorry, Aaron," Robert says suddenly, hushed under the darkness of their room. He tries to push impossibly closer, like he wants to turn the two of them into one person. Aaron can understand that. "I'm sorry for everything I did."

"It's over now," Aaron says. Tears start to track down his cheeks as he smooths Roberts fringe out of his face, then traces the movement down to his chest, resting his palm right over his heart. "We don't look back, not anymore."

"Yeah, okay," Robert says, but his breath is still hitching every so often. He fits their palms together again and slots his fingers into the gaps between Aaron's, and closes his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too," Aaron whispers, and listens to his husband's breath even out. 

It's the best nights sleep he's had in almost eight months, right here with Robert. He's not worrying about Liv or his mum, just focuses on the heat of Robert's skin and the way the older man clings to him all night. The thought of losing this for good - it's too much for Aaron to bear, so he pushes it away.

And just as he's falling asleep, something Robert said to him at the wedding runs through his mind:

_and you'll come home to me, and we'll never look back_

  


  


How right he was.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @ [aarobron](http://aarobron.tumblr.com/) xo


End file.
